Labor/Delivery/Abortion

Braxton Hicks contractions

can happen for many weeks before really labor begins especially at end of day

ligtening

sensation that the fetus has dropped lower, and the head settles deep in your pelvis

thick mucus plug

forms in the cervix early in pregnancy as a protective barrier into the vagina when the cervix begins to dialate several days before labor

bloody show

refers to an increase in vaginal discharge that is clear, pink,, and slightly bloody

fluid-filled amniotic sac

where the fetus is floating during pregnancy

rupture of membrane

when the amniotic sac breaks(water breaking) fluid can trickle or gush from the vagina(delivery should happen within 24 hrs)

ferning test

some amniotic fluid is placed on a slide and viewed under a microscope there is a fern like patterning in the fluid when it is amniotic fluid

abortion

early looks of preganancy

spontaneous abortion

misscarriage the patient experiences bleeding, cramping, and expulsion of tissue

missed abortion

likely did not realize that they were pregnant (silent misscarriage or incomplete abortion)- fetus stops developing and expires/ surgery to remove

induced abortion

intentional or deliberate termination of a pregnancy for many reasons